Umbra
by Sushirolled
Summary: Zaire had always been interested in the stories that surrounded the infamous, Slenderman. While Louis, Zaire's best friend is trying to keep her from having too many close calls nearing her demise, but when the Slenderman finally becomes a reality, will this call be close for Louis to protect Zaire from?


Chapter One

A brush dampened with jade green paint skimmed across the half-completed barren blank canvas as a tall boy hung over in interest. She finally removed her brush from the now, completed piece of art. It displayed a dense forest, an army of trees that never seemed to end with a blackened umbra-like sky above, dotted with bright, illuminated stars. "Woah, this is amazing, Zaire! The shading of the paint makes the image look very realistic!" A boy with orange shaggy hair, round, large frames and hazel eyes were glassed behind them. He had on a baggy, grey sweatshirt hanging loosely and tan khakis. He nudged her gently in encouragement. Zaire smiled pushed her long dark hair back behind her ear and smiled at the boy. She was a beautifully chocolate tinted girl with long, dark hair flowing down and had teal glasses. She wore a white Aeropostle jacket and dark jeans with brown, fuzzy boots. "Wait a minute, Louis, I need to add one more thing before I'm done." She said, focusing back onto her masterpiece.

She motioned her brush, dipping it into the the water again, reaching for another colour to her liking. "Now for the finishing touch." She painted a tall, lanky man in the background, amongst the trees with a black business suit with a jet black tie tucked under His suit, an elegant, white dress shirt with very long arms down to His thighs. She finally painted a white, face, without any facial features, a blank face staring back.

"There. Now I'll put this up on the art rack and I can go home." She stated. Louis gasped, and looked back at the painting. "But- but isn't that the Slenderman you just painted? That thing is dangerous! What if it finds you and rips you to pieces!? Then what?!" Louis said, practically yelling at this point. Zaire just threw him a smirk, putting the masterpiece onto the art rack, leaving it to dry. "First, He is not a _thing._ He is a being and has feelings too, you know. Second, I'm actually pretty interested in the Slender Mythos..." She stated, hanging her apron onto the hanger, messly smeared with paint all over it.

Louis sighed, and blushed. "S-sorry, I was just concerned, that's all." He whispered and gave me a friendly, shy hug. She hugged him back for a while, his sweatshirt smelling of his cologne, sweet and subtle and she blushed a little. It was a long hug and Louis then let go. Zaire had known Louis for a long time and afterall, he was an art teacher in training so he had to stay back and clean up. "Sorry if it was a little awkward." He said, twidiling his fingers. Zaire nodded. "It's alright. See you tomorrow, then." She said, grabbing her sketchbook with her navy blue messenger bag, full of schoolwork. Louis flinched and gripped her arm gently. "Ummm... just please, be careful out there, getting home, alright?" He whispered. Zaire noticed Louis was deeply worried and she patted his head like a puppy, scruffing up his neat, ginger coloured hair. "I'll be fine. Promise." She said, in a playful tone, and he laughed, blushing. "All right... take care." Louis said, calmer now.

She left out of the Art Room of the Highschool and opened the huge, ominous doors outside. A harsh, frigid wind quickly ran into her face and she zipped up her jacket, shivering a bit. She looked outside cautiously, going down the marble stairs. It was long dark now, the sky dotted with stars and snow crisply falling down. "What time is it...?" She glanced at her watch and it with bright green neon numbers, gleaming from her digital watch. It clearly read: 5:45. Zaire pulled over her hood and sighed. "Today's going to be a long walk home, snow is covering the roads so the buses don't run today..." She glanced and saw a nature trail nearby, leading to the other side of town, where she lived. "Perfect! I could go through here." She smiled happliy. She wondered why she hasn't seen this trail before, a long time ago. It was a far distance away to home but It definately beat having to take long rides on the bus home every now and then.

She continued forward, feeling something pleading her to turn back around and find another way home but she simply ignored that feeling and pressed on. "Why can't I find the exit..? I swore I passed that log a second ago." She whispered getting a little anxious. She sighed and decided to take another route, off the trail, pushing pass a few snow covered bushes. " Alright. I am lost...damnit." She whispered, facepalming herself. She sat on the side of the tree, pondering what to do next and right at that moment-

_Crunch._

Someone was in the forest with her. A cold shiver ran through her and she held her breath, scared. A long silence passed and she finally took action. "W-who's there?" She said, her voice tinged with fear. Zaire loathed how her voice sounded at the moment. So weak and feeble...

_Crunch...Crunch...Crunch..._

Zaire held still, and a few warm tears escaped her eyes. She was trembling. Whoever it was, she knew that person acknowledged her existance and followed her voice. She shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see what would happen. "...Silly human. Why do you wander around in my forest this late in the evening?" A dangerous but comforting voice whispered ever so slightly.

Even though Zaire hated to know what would happen if she turned around to look, she had to face her pursuer. It can't be... It can't be _Him_... He's not real... She thought. Zaire hesistantly opened her eyes and slowly looked behind the tree she was hiding.

Zaire immediately saw a pair of black, polished dress shoes, glistening, wet from the snow. "Your...your..." She gasped, a lost of words, her eyes filling up with tears again. The being bent down to her level and a white empty face met her's. He had a lack of a face as where His eyes should have been, were two deep sockets, shaded to show where they should have been. A pale hand outstretched and barely touched her face ever so slightly and His long, white fingers held her chin up, soft but threating enough to think He could kill her anytime He could. She flinched at His warm, sudden touch. "The Slenderman." He said finished her sentence coldly.


End file.
